Is the Apple AirPods 3 worth the upgrade from the OnePlus Buds Pro 4?
Verdict
Downgrade
The Apple AirPods 3 actually scores 8.0 points below the OnePlus Buds Pro 4, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. The gains are concentrated in calls (7.5 to 8.0). You do give up ground on value (9.0 to 7.0) and battery (8.5 to 7.0). On paper: case weight 50.62 g to 37.91 g. Worth checking: battery life goes 13 h to 6 h and active noise cancelling goes Yes to No. One caution: this steps down a line tier (Buds Pro 4 to AirPods 3), and base models usually trade away tier features - check the codec and ANC rows above before trusting the score gap alone. It is at least $46 cheaper, so the lower score comes with a saving. Only worth it if a specific feature above matters more to you than overall quality does.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.57.5
- Battery8.57.0
- Calls7.58.0
- Value9.07.0
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Buds Pro 4 | AirPods 3 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 13 h | 6 h | |
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | No | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LHDC 5.0 | SBC, AAC | |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.0 | |
| Multipoint pairing | Yes | No | |
| Water resistance | IP55 | IPX4 | |
| Battery incl. case | 54 h | 30 h | |
| Case weight | 50.62 g | 37.91 g | |
| Transparency mode | Yes | No | |
| Companion app | Yes | No | |
| USB-C | Yes | No | |
| ANC type | adaptive | none | |
| Controls | touch | both | |
| Driver | dual drivers; 11mm woofer + 6mm tweeter | dynamic |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Buds Pro 4 to AirPods 3". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across true wireless and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.